CARDINALS 5, METS 4
at Jupiter, Fla.
Sunday, March 18

Cardinals at the plate: Pitcher Kip Wells and shortstop David Eckstein each had an RBI in the second inning. The runs were scored by Adam Kennedy and Yadier Molina, who reached base on a double and single, respectively. Scott Rolen added a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line in the sixth. Rick Ankiel had a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to score Scott Spiezio for the go-ahead run in the eighth.

Mets at the plate: David Wright walked, advanced to second and third on a wild pitch and passed ball, and scored on Jose Valentin's groundout in the second frame. Moises Alou drove in two runs with a single in the sixth. Jose Reyes hit a solo home run -- his fourth long ball of the spring -- to tie the game at 4 with two outs in the seventh.

Cardinals on the mound: Closer Jason Isringhausen started and pitched one perfect inning, inducing two groundouts and striking out Carlos Beltran looking on a back-door cutter. It was the right-hander's second game following hip surgery last September. Isringhausen threw 15 pitches, nine for strikes. Wells took over in the second and pitched four innings, allowing one run, two hits and three walks. Wells struck out two.

Mets on the mound: Starting right-hander Orlando Hernandez pitched four innings, allowing two runs, three hits and two walks. He struck out one. Ambiorix Burgos pitched the next two innings, giving up four hits, two runs and striking out one.

Grapefruit League records: Cardinals 10-6-3; Mets 6-14-1.

Up next: The Cardinals and Mets are both off on Monday, the only off-day of the spring for each team. On Tuesday, St. Louis plays a 7:05 ET night game in Vero Beach against the Dodgers. Right-hander Anthony Reyes, who comes into the game with a 2-0 record and 0.90 ERA in 10 innings, is scheduled to start.

The Mets host the Orioles at 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday in a game that will pit right-hander Mike Pelfrey against Baltimore righty Jaret Wright. During Monday's off-day, Mets pitchers John Maine, Marcos Carvajal and Billy Wagner will pitch in a simulated game at Tradition Field.